Best Bee Brothers Bee Blog

One question we get all the time is how to tell the difference between wasps and hornets. All hornets are wasps, but not all wasps are hornets. In that sense, the term “wasp” refers to a broader category of the Vespidae scientific family. In the US the most common species of social wasps you’re likely to encounter are yellow jackets, hornets and paper wasps. Note: Social wasps are different from solitary wasps (great black wasp). We don’t discuss solitary wasps here. At a glance, paper wasps, hornets and yellow jackets may look and act very similarly. They can all be...

Carpenter bees are known for their ability to cause damage to wooden structures by drilling holes to create tunnels. The bees are relatively harmless to humans, but can be a concerning nuisance. It’s possible to identify the existence of carpenter bees by finding their shed exoskeletons before they damage your home or other structures. Read more to find out about this molting process and the anatomy of the carpenter bee.  Yes, carpenter bees do molt. In order to grow, they have to molt their exoskeleton, a hard outer shell that provides structure, protection and support for the bee’s body.1 There...

Identifying and Treating Wood for Wood Eating Insects If you’ve ever wondered which bugs leave piles of sawdust behind or which bugs eat wood, there are ways to identify these destructive pests, based on their behavior, their physical appearance, and even on the trails they leave behind. In the United States, there are three primary wood eating insects that cause structural damage.  Termites Carpenter Ants Carpenter Bees If you suspect you are dealing with any of these three pests, it might take some detective work to identify which wood-boring insect it is. Here are some clues that will help.  The...

Do you ever wonder where wasps, bees and other insects that are active in summer go in the wintertime when they’re not buzzing around outdoors? Depending on where you live, harsh winter conditions can be unbearable even for humans, and these creatures have developed special survival strategies, since they can’t bundle up. Discover what happens to wasps in the winter and what you should do if you come across a wasp in or near your home.  A glimpse of a wasp nest. In the winter they like to hibernate in the nooks and crannies of a home.  Are Wasps Active...

What Is Natural Insect Repellent? Natural insect repellents contain substances made from plant oils (leaves, stems, barks, or flowers) that are applied to skin or clothing and are used to deter insects. These plant oils include oils of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), citronella, peppermint, lavender, and cedarwood. Many people prefer these oils to traditional DEET-based products because of concerns about DEET exposure, especially for small children. However, any substance, natural or manmade, can be unsafe for children or allergenic to sensitive people, so be sure to carefully read labels for any natural insect repellent before applying to children or sensitive individuals....